A Capital Idea

Bali Legislators Calls for Relocation of Province’s Capital to East Bali

Click Image to Enlarge

(7/29/2013)

A member of the Bali House of Representatives (DPR-Bali), I Gede Sumarjaya Linggih, has put forth the ideas of relocating the capital city of the province from Denpasar to Kubu in the Karangasem Regency.

Quoted by the State News Agency Antara, the Golkar party legislator said:
“Up until now, the development in Bali has been centralized in the south. Efforts are needed to equalize (development) and one way is by moving the capital from Denpasar to Kubu.”

Linggih cites the extreme poverty of the people living in East Bali due to the lack of employment opportunities that continue to be concentrated in the Island’s south.

“This is a form of injustice. It is a sin if leaders do not provide justice and equality (of opportunity) in development,” said Linggih at a celebration of the election of Made Mangku Pastika and Ketut Sudikerta as governor and deputy-governor of Bali.

For this reason, Linggih also support the policies of the provincial government of Bali in isuing a moratorium of new hotels in South Bali that includes the regency of Badung and the capital city of Denpasar.

“If the development of hotels is not stopped, the investors will continue to build hotels in that area,” said Linggih who hails from the regency of Buleleng.

Linggih, also known by the name of Damer, cited the minimum quality of health services in Bali's east and north.

Linggih called on the government to abandon plans to build medical facilities in Badung regency, suggesting this task is best left to the private sector. He continued by urging the provincial government to focus instead on developing Bali’s east and north.

As regards moving the location of Bali’s capital, he suggested that private investors be involved in the process in order to reduce the need for State funds.

Bali’s capital moved from Singaraja in North Bali to Denpasar in 1953.